Bowling ball retarder



O. SCHLAFENDER Jan. 5, 1954 BOWLING BALL. RETARDER sheets-sheet 1 FiledSept. l, 1950 A I Oa Sclafefnder" Jam 5, 1954 o. scHLAFENDER BOWLINGBALL RETARDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. l, 1950 Je for azz- Mmm derPatented Jan. 5, 1,954

BOWLING BALL RETARDER Otto Schlafender, Muskegon, Mich., assignor to TheBrunswick-Balke-Collender Company Application september 1, 195o, serialNo. 182,822

11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to a device for retarding bowling ballsand more particularly to a ball retarder adapted to be located adjacentthe ball entrance to a rack in order to retard bowling balls as they arereturned to the rack and permit them to roll on to the rack at a greatlyreduced speed.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a new and improvedbowling ball retarder. More particularly it is the object of theinvention to provide a ball retarder of simple construction which iseicient in operation and easy to maintain.

It is another object of the invention'to provide a bowling ball retarderhaving a rockable device or cradle pivotally supported between thedownwardly inclined portion of the tracks of a ball rack and havingmeans normally located inV the path of the ball so as to engage a ball,a latch device retaining said cradle in its ball engaging position andadapted to permit the ball engaging portion of the cradle to yieldslightly when initially engaged by a ball, said latch device beingreleased during Ysuch initial movement of the cradle to permit thecradle to rock and enable a ball to roll over the cradle and down theinclined portion of the tracks by the action of gravity, and meansoperable after the passage of va ball over the cradle to reset thecradle and latch device and condition them for retarding another ball. ll

yGther objects and advantages will become readily apparent from thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings: n

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a bowling ball retarderembodying the invention installed onthe downwardly linclined portion ofthe tracks of a ball rack. i

Fig. 1a is -an enlarged fragmentary view of thelower portion oftheretarder of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking at the righthand end of Fig. 1.-

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of theinvention along the line 3 3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3a is a fragmentary section along the line 3oz-3a of Fig. 3.

VFig. 3b is an enlarged fragmentary'section along line 31a-3b of Fig. 3.Fig. 4 is an end view looking at the end of Fig. 3. l n y While theinvention is herein disclosed in its preferred form and also in amodified form, itis not intended to limit the invention to theparright-hand ticular forms shown, it being contemplated that variouschanges may be made by those skilled in the art without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the appended claims.

As shown in Figs. 1, la and 2, the invention is installed on a ball rackhaving a pair of parallel tracks Il),`a portion of which are downwardlyinclined at II, balls being returned to the rack normally passing fromleft to right up over an inclined portion I2 and downwardly over portionII. -A cradle member I3, somewhat in the form of a bellcrank, is locatedbetween the tracks I0 and is rockably mounted thereon by means of ahorizontally extending pivot pin I4.

A roller I5, preferably of rubber or other resilient material, isrotatably mounted on the upper end of the cradle by means of a shaft I5and is normally in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 wherein itwill engage a ball B rolling down inclined portion IIof the tracks I0.The cradle member has a slightly inclined bottom surface I'I vwhichAjoins (adjacent the righthand end of the cradle member as shown inFig. 1) with a surface I8 rising at a slightly greater angle to thehorizontal. The front or left-hand end I9 of the cradle member normallylies below the path of a ball as it rolls down the inclinedv portion IIof the tracks.

The cradle member is normally held in its ball engaging position bymeans of a latch device herein shown as comprising a lever 2li pivotallysupported on a pin 2I extending between a pair of brackets 22, 23secured to the tracks Ill as by means of bolts 24. The shorter end ofthe lever 20 extends upwardly and preferably car-v ries a roller 25whichmay also be of rubber 0r of other resilient material. The lever 2i)as shown consists of a pair of laterally spaced and parallel members 26between which the roller is rotatably supported on a pin 21. The lowerends of the lever members 26 are provided with slots 28 which extendinwardly from the rear or right-hand edge as shown in Fig. 1 at 29 andthen upwardly as shown at 3). The brackets 22 and 23 have slots at 3lformed therein (as shown bestrin Fig. la) consisting of a portion 32concentric with the pin 2| and a portion 33 extending downwardlytherefrom. A pin 34 extends freely through the slots 3| and also throughthe slots 28 in the bracket members 22, 23 and has a cotter pin 35 orother device at each outer end arranged to retain the pin in the slots.The pin is free to move from one end to the other end of the slots 3|for a purpose hereinafter more fully described.

When the cradle I3 and latch member 20 are in their normal positionsindicated at a in Fig. 1, the roller 25 engages against the surface l1of the cradle immediately adjacent the point where the surface I'I joinsthe surface I8. At that time the pin 36 is at the extreme right-hand endof the slot portion 32 (as indicated at a in Fig. la) and also extendsthrough the slot portion 30 of the latch member. Upon engagement with.the cradle roller I by. a ballB the cradle member is rocked slightly ina Iclockwise direction (Fig. 1) from the full line position a to thedotted line, position b. The latch member isrthenswung in a clockwisedirection from its normal position a to the dotted line positionfb.ltheroller then, engaging the inclined surface.; L8: on, the.. cradlemember. During this movement the p in 3 4 has moved along the portion 32of' the slot '31' in the bracket members to the position b of Fig;4 lagvand; is then in a position to drop by gravity along the portion 3 3 cithe slot 3l. '.lhe-weight-of` the ball B. (whichV isstill on theinclirned` portion I L of the tracks after it hesbeen, stopped). exertsaforce on the roller l5 operativetoeiock the cradle,mein-v ber from thedottedline position b to the dashed line position c. This. movement ofthe cradle member is permittedlas the pin 34. moves down; wai-diy in theslotl portion 3,3 and at the same time. moves downwardly. in thel Slot28. of the latchmernber until tbelatch. member disengaged from the pinand swings out tothe. adjacent dashed line position c.,` When thecradlemember reaches its position. c the` ballhasrolledoler the cradleI3 and itsroller l5 and dQWll toYGhehoriT. zontal portionof. the tracks.lll..

During the passage of theball over the cradle member the front. end. I9Athereof. extentie. up;v wardly as shown inFig. l in position. toblock a.second ball if one should inadvertently-arrive; at the ball` retarderbeiorethe cradle member re.- turns to its normalr DOSition,

The front end of.' the cradlefmember is preferably weighted withv a.weightmember- ML if.,.,nece.s sary, to enable theycradlemember toreturntoits normal position by gravity. During the .return of the cradlemember. the; latch. member, 20.: is permitted to swing inacoontercloclrwise direc: tion from its postionrc whereupon. the openend;of the portion 2,8:of slot zreceivestliebin- 34 which is then in the po'sitionc of: Fig.l lo atlhe. lower end of theportionioi the s1ot,3|,.ther swinging, movement of.l the latch; lcoemberl enables the upwardlyinclined oortionof. thaslot. 2.8. ibo-elevate the pin 3.5,-intothefportion 32i of. the slot 3l and. thisenables the-pin tomove backtoi. the right-handend of tbe-slotoortionz-.to posis. tion d.

A. stonmember 4I- is preferably. provided ber-- tween the tracksY to,limit.. the countercloclrvvise-.- rrloverrlent` of. the cradle memberandtogdetermineits normal position- Ailotherstop. member; 412 is carriedonthe brackets. 22,23 to engagetine-eur` face IB of the cr-adlerIIlelllloel` andlimiti its. 619.81%4 wise movement when it movesintoposition;v e enablingthe ball to pass .through Y theretarder- In theformA shown Fg. 3 and 4 a Cradle member 5i]A isl'rockably, supported ona shaft; 515 extendingbetween thelinclinedoortionsil IV or the. tracks;lo. A ball eneaeingfrollerzis. rotatably mounted on the -uoperfend-- offa. lever 53: which.; is: oivotally supported in; a slot, 50 in; theiroct.orf leit'fllaridendofj-the.cradle member hva-.nin 54.. as; shown;A inFigs. aand 3b'.- Thelowerfand; lori-eer end.. 5.51r oftlle leverrextends olownwardlv.A through a U-shaped bracket 56 which is seeured tothe underside of the tracks by bolts 51. The lower end or" the lever 53has a cut out portion 58 providing a surface 59 which normally rests onthe lower wall S0 of the bracket 56, the extending portion El of thelever then projecting through the rear or right-hand end of a slot 62 inbracket wall 60.

When the roller 52 is engaged by a ball B rolling; down the inclined;portion H of the tracks l0, the. impact swings thelever 53'A from thefull line position a of Fig. 3 to the dot-dash line position b, thisswinging movement of the lever being permitted, by, the length of theslot 62. When the left' end7 surface of the projecting portion 6lengages'the lett-hand end 63 of the slot B2, the entireleven isf-reatomove downward in the slot, as the wldthof the lower portion of the leveris less than the corresponding dimension of the slot; @2; (see Fig. 3a).The Weight of the lever and cradle is then sufficient to swing thecradle a., ooiinterclockvvise: directionA to. the.4 dotto/.delirioposition; indicated atc inlig. 3, thelever then passing downwardlythrough. the slot 62, to. its. pmsition.y c. As the roller 5,2 thenmoves. to its dotted. line. positionl markedl c the ball` B, is free toroll down, the inclined portion of. the; tracks which extends above theleft-hamik end of. the cradle. As-the ball-engagesa bumper. Ell-of,rubber or other resilient material. onthe rghtfhand. end. of the cradle;member. it operates-towing. the cradle in aclockwisedirectionabcutthe.shaft 5Lk This movementoi thecradle. member pulls thelever 53 upwardly through the slot 62 until the surface 5,8, on thelever. risessliglitly above the. lower wall; (ill. of. the bracket. and.the; lever. thensvvings back intoitso position..

A, stop memberr is nreferablv.A provided ori-the` bracket 55 toengagetheendsuriaceothecradle member to, determine. the. .normal position ofthe cradle.- member. es. the lower end.. ofthe, leverreturnsto.. its` a.position` it` latches` the cradle in; its normal position, and.`conditions the'device for retardinganotlierball..

esV shown. inv the drawings a stoppin- 66. is located in the? `forwardportion of` the. bracket and has.V a. resilient. sleeve, Gli thereonwhich en-- gagesthelower portion 55 of. thelever-asritswings tof its. bPosition. on, engagement ci. a ball. with. roller.. 52., thus; stoppingthe swinging. movement y oi thelever andfcushionnstbeimpact ofrthe ball-I claim:

1., e. bowling; ball retarder. lia-ving,v inI ccmbination with: aspair... of .iecliriirigV ball.A tracks.. a. Lockable ston-memberlocatedbetween saidtracka i and journalled on a horizontalt axis. transverse cithe ballftracka and-:normallypositioned with its.trailing` erid..-u.p,1amubber. roller-1 on: said trailr ing end;A in positionta engage a. ballrolling" dovvri the tracks, a frame located belown the tracks varidcarryinga.- horizontal; pivot pin, a lever member; saldi lever;having; a slot in its lower end extending inwardly and upwardly'fromits;

reen edge,y said frame; having'plate-like portions one on each side ofsaid lever andprovidedIwith; cenoir/1.111e` Slots. a. portionl olf whichare ooncentric with the lever pivotiand onA a; level with; the.topeotthearcuateslot of; the lever, and icining portions of which slotsextend downwardlyand f:or-warollity thereirom to position; on a levelwith tbe-oneri end? oty theflever slot, alpin'. freely oontainedinftheframe-plate slotsfandin.

`acclaim the lever slot when the lever is in its member engagingposition, said pin shifting through said concentric portion of theplateslots when a ball engages said. rollerv andl thereafter droppingdownwardly insaid slots and freeing itself from the lever slot as theball rocks the stop member fartherand passes through the retarder.

2. A bowling ball retarder having, in combination with a pair ofdeclining ball tracks, a rockable stop member locatedrbetweensaid tracksand journalled on a horizontal axis' transverse of the ball tracks, andnormally positioned with its trailing endup, a rubber member non saidtrailing endin position to engage a ball rolling down the tracks,a framelocated belowthe tracks and carrying a horizontal pivot pin, 'a leverpivoted on said pin and normally .extending somewhat vertically Vwithits upper end underlying the trailing end of said rockable stop member,said lever havinga slot in its lower end A.

extending inwardly and upwardly from its rear edge, said frame having aplate-like portion on one side of said lever and provided with a slot, aportion of which is concentric with the' lever pivot and on a level withthe top of the slot of the lever and joining portions of which slotextend downwardlyY and forwardly therefrom to a position'on a levelwiththe open endof the lever slot, a pin freely contained in theframeplate slot and in the lever slot when the lever is in its memberengaging position, said pin shifting through said concentric portion ofthe plate slot when aball engages said rubber member and thereafterdropping downwardly in said slots and freeing itself from the leverslotas the ball rocks the stop member farther and passes through theretarder.

3. A bowling ball retarder as denned in claim 2 having means to swingthe rockable stop member back to its normal position after the passageof a ball therethrough and to re-engage said last mentioned pin in saidlever slot.

4. A stop for bowling balls, comprising, in combination with a ballreturn track, a cradle swingably mounted on said return track and havingwhen in ball receiving position a rearwardly and upwardly extendingportion having a roller rotatably mounted in its upper end, said cradlewhen in ball receiving position having a forwardly extending portionpositioned below the ways of the return track, means for retaining thecradle in ball receiving position, means for stopping a ball when itenters the cradle and strikes said roller comprising a lever pivotallysupported on a horizontal axis below the cradle axis and having ashorter upper end carrying a roller engageable with the straight andforwardly-downwardly inclined bottom edge of the cradle, a stop deviceengaging the lever and permitting the lever to swing a short distance ina direction permitting the ball to rock the cradle slightly when theball engages said roller, and means supporting said stop devicepermitting the device to fall by gravity to a non-stop lever disengagedposition and enable the weight of the ball to rock the cradlesufficiently to roll the ball over said roller end thereof, said cradlerocking back to its ball receiving position after passage of the ball,and means on the lever operable to reset said stop device in its stopposition as the lever swings back to its normal cradle engagingposition.

5. A stop for bowling balls, comprising in combination with a ballreturn track, a cradle swingably mounted on said return track and havingwhen in ball receiving vposition an lupwardly ex tending portionpositioned in the path of a ball on the track, a means for. retainingthe cradle in ball receiving position, means for stopping `a ball whenit strikes the cradle comprising a lever pivotally supported on ahorizontal axis below the cradle axis and Lhavinganupper end engageablewitha bottom portion of the cradle, a stop ldevice engaging the-leverand permititng the lever to-.swing a short distancein a directionpermitting the ball to rock thecradle slightly when the ball "engagesthe cradle, and means supporting said stop device permitting the deviceto move to a non-stop lever disengaged position after saidv short swingyof the lever and enable the weight of the ball to rock the cradlesufiiciently to roll the ball overvthe cradle, said cradle rocking backto lits ball receiving position after passage of the ball,v and means onthe lever operable to engage and reset said stop device in its stopposition as the lever swings back to its normal cradle engagingposition.

l6. Av stop .for bowling balls, comprising, in combination with a ballreturn track, a cradle swingably mounted on said return track and havingwhen .in ball receiving position a portion extending upwardly into thepath of a ball, means for retaining the cradle in ball engagingposition, means for stopping aball when it strikes the cradle comprisinga lever pivotally supported on a horizontal axis and having one endnormally engaged with the cradle, a stop device engaging the lever andpermitting the lever to swing a short distance in a direction permittingthe ball to rock the cradle slightly when the ball engages the cradle,Iand means supporting said stop device when the lever is in its cradleengaging position and permitting the device to move to a non-stop leverdisengaged position after the lever has swung such short distance andenable the weight of the ball to rock the cradle sufficiently to rollthe ball over said cradle.

7. A bowling ball retarder comprising in combination with ball returntracks, a cradle rockably supported between said tracks and movable froma position wherein a part of the cradle projects into the path of a ballto a position enabling the ball t-o roll over said part of the cradle,means for retaining the cradle in ball engaging position including alatch member, means engaging said latch member for controlling limitedmovement of said member from its normal position to a position it entersupon the impact of a ball with the lcradle, said controlling meansdisengaging from the latch member to permit extended movement thereofwhile the ball rolls over the cradle member, and means for resetting thecradle member and latch member.

8. A bowling ball retarder comprising in combination with ball returntracks, a member rockably supported on said tracks and movable from `aposition wherein a part of the member projects in to the path Iof a ballto a position enabling the ball to roll over said part of the member,means for normally retaining said member in ball eng-aging positionincluding a latch device, means engaging said latch device forcontrolling limited movement of said device from its normal position toa position it enters upon an impact of a ball with said rockable member,said controlling means disengaging from the latch device to permitextended movement thereof while the ball rolls over the rockable member,and means for resetting the rockable member and latch device.

9. A bowling ball retarder comprising, in com- T hinaiony withdownwardly sloping: ball return tracks, a. cradle pivoially supportedon. said tracks, a lever' operable normally to hold the s1-:idlev in itsball retail-ding position, s; positive stop device permitting the leverto swingslghiily when a ball is retarded by' the cradle, means operable;byf the lever when saidlever' Isswung slightly to' renderv thestopdevice inellee'iive'A and permit the -bali to rollf down over thecradle 92nd means for restoring the lever to its` cradle supportingDOsition andl rendering the stop device effective as the cradlelswingsback to its4 normal ballreterding position;

10. A- bowling; ball retarder comprising, in combination Wthdownwardlysloping ballreturn tracks; a cradle pivotally supported between saidtracks; a pivotally supported4 lever operable nor-- mall'y to maintainor' hold. the cradle in it'sV bali' reim-ding position, a positive stopudevice permiiting the lever; to swingl a, limited amount when a balllis: stopped, means` operable by the; lever. when said lever is ,swungMsuchamountj iz'o render the stop device ineffective and permit the:lever tio swing to a position ena-bling a ball.l toroll downr the tracksand overV the cradle and means forautometioallyf restoringA thecradle toits' ball reta-riding' position' upon release of a ballV thereflOm;

1'1". bowling? 152.111 retarder comprising, in combination: withdownwardly sloping' bail return tracksr cradle pivotall'y supportedapproximateiy at its mich-point: betwem senil'` tracks and having1013.11--reisrllingfarid` Ball-blocking portions, a'. pivotaliysupported lever having one end in engagemenizlwih said` cradles stopdevice having lever-engaging amnd. non-engaging positions, meanssupporting stop device for slight movement insaid: msi: positi'om when aball rolls onto said'. cradle and: initielly'shitts thelever, Sayidysupporting means'. the stop device to' move to its non-engaging positionafter sai'dl sli'gflrii:v movemenowhici-r permits-the lever tolmovefurther as' the cradle moves: azboui.l its pivot to lower saidlbalL-retardingi portion :inclg raise the ball-blocking portion.

OTTO- Referen'ces. Cited; in the nie: of this patent;

STATES PATENTS' Number. Name Date 1,114,310 Hedenskoog ..-nwMay 21,.1929 1,979,466- Hedenskoog Nov.' 6, 1934 2,306,955? Karbusky Dee.29171942- 2,34l',3'8f Reichelt... v ..u Feb. 8, 1944-- 2f,5'30,429Hedenskoog Noi/2.21, 1950

